Liquid-fuel gauge



June 1 1926.

J.` W. WALKER LIQUID FUEL GAUGE Filed Feb. l2, 1925 Patented June 1, 1926.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

LIQUID-FUEL GAUGE.

Application mea Febr-.lary

This application is a continuation in part ot' my pending U. S'. application, Serial No. 749,720, filed November 18, 1924.

My invention relates to improvements in liquid level gauges for use in connection with tanks, and the invention k)further r lates to devices otthis character which are intended to operate either a visual or an audible signal, when the liquid in the tank reaches a predetermined low level. The invention is intended primarily for use in connection with the fuel tanks of automobiles, motorboats and the like, but obviously is not v restricted to such use. y

One object of the invention is to provide a device which is rather simpleand inexpensive, may be easily installed, and will be highly efficient for the purpose intended,

1n the provision of the device, a float-guiding structure is provided :tor disposition within a tank, 'a'. contact-mounting base is provided to engage the upper side of the tank top, stationary contact means are carried by this base,and a. movable contact is co-operable with said stationary 'contact means, said movable contact being controlled by an operating member connected with a float whichy is slidable along the float-guiding means. f

Another object of the invention is to provide unique means for holding the tank, the float-guiding means and the contactmounting base in assembled relation with each other and for preventing `any relative Vturning thereof about a vertical axis, the means for preventing such turning also forming a guide for the operating member of the movable contact.

A further object ot the invention is to make unique. provision whereby the float will not be subjected to the wash of the gasoline, in such a manner as to cause continual bobbing of said loat, which 4would often cause it to close the signalling switch, even though .a large quantity of gasoline remained in the tank.

Yet another aim is to provide an enclosed switch of such a construction that volatile gases cannot collect in the casing and hence cause lire, even should the switch contacts are to some extent.

With the foregoing and minor objects in view, the invention resides in the novel subject matter hereinafter described i and 12, 1925. serial No. 8,782.

claimed, the description being supplemented by the accompanying drawings. y Figure 1 is a vertical sectional view showing the invention applied to a tank and illustrati'ng it in circuit with anelectrical alarm. .Figure 2 is a vertical transverse sectional viewy asindicated by line 2 2 of Fig. 1.

Figure 3 is a horizontal sectional view taken substantially on line 8-3 of F ig. 1.

l1`he drawings above briefly described illustrate what may be considered as the preferred form of construction, but it is to be understood at the outset that while the eonstruction shown has `been rather specifically described, numerous variations may be made within the scope ot the invention as claimed.

The numeral 1 on the drawing designates a fuel tank having a lilling opening 2 which is provided with the usual plug or cap 3. ln'sertible into the tank 1, through the opening 2, is a iioat-guiding structure 4 which preferably includes a vertical bar 5 having a laterally turned upper end 6 and a similarly directed lower end 7, the former being adapted to engage the lower surface ot the tank top. The lateral end G is preferably formed with two openings 8 and 9, a sleeve 1() being threaded or otherwise secured in the opening 8. The reduced upper end 11 of a .float-guiding rod 12 passes through the opening 9 and extends above the bar end 6, the lower end of said rod being secured to the lateral lower end 7 ot the bar in any suitable manner, as indicated at 13. The sleeve 1() and rod end 11 areadapted for passage through openings tormedf in the top of the tank 1 and 5 are also intended to pass through similar' openings in the coinmon bottom la ot a pairo'f spaced conti-act casings 15, which bottom constitutes a contact-mounting base. A washer 16 is preterablyplaced around the upper end 11 ot the rod 12, in engagement with the bottom ot the casings 15, a nut 17 being then threaded on said rod end, so as to clamp the casing, tank, and float-guiding means 4f in assembled relation. During tightenii'ig ot the nut- 17, the rigid sleeve 10 prevents turning ot the neat-guiding means 11, within the tank, and said sleeve further acts to prevent vvany relative turning of the easing bottomy le and float-guiding means 41,. withrespeet to the tank 1, after the invention vis'installed.

i Contacts 18 are carriedby vertical walls of the two c: fings l5 and are suitably insulated therei oni, wies 19 and 2O being shown connected with seid contacts and constituting part ot an electrical circuit ijor an a irni 2l which may he either visual or audible. The circuit is also pretcral'ily provided with a inanaaliypene-d switch so that when once the circuit is eonipleted, by loweringl 'ot the tuel level, the ala n need not continually until the 'incl supply is replenished. 'l'oliiridge the gap between the contacts l@ and complete ythe "circuit for the .LU alarml, l provide a horizontal contact pin 255 Awhich pa ses througlrslots inthe inner sides ot the casings and has its ends disposed above said contacts ld. 'lhis contact pin 23 iscarried hy a li l t vertical rod Q- t 'troni which it is appropriately insulated as indicated at '25. his rod 2l 'i es slidably Lthrough the sleeve l() and its lower end is suitably connected at 9.a with an appropriatetloat 26 which is slidable along the rod ll'hen there is an amount ot liquid in the tank l, in excess otl a predetermined amount, the Contact pin E23 is disposed above the stationary contacts 18 and the ycircuit ttor the signal il is then broken. it this time, the lower end o'l' lthe sleeve l0 is sealed by an appropriate valve 2T carried hy the rod so that there can be 'no leakage ot liquid into one otI the casings l5. lvl/Then the liquid level lowers beyond a predetermined extent, the loat 2G is allowed to descend so that it brings the contact pin 252` int-o eiigag'einent with the contacts 18, completing the circuit or' the signal 2l and operating Athe latter 'to give warning that the liquid level is rather low. AWhen this warning has been given, the switch Q2 may he opened and lett open until the i'uel supply can be replenished. As soon as more l'uel is poured into the tank, the float 26 again rises, moving the contact pin 23 out of engagement with the contacts 18, so that theswitch 22 may again he closed to place the device in readiness for tui-ther operation; y

Ais there may he liability of `some slight arcing between the lined andinova'ble contacts, it is advisable to provide a construction inwhich no volatile gases which vmight possibly escape from the gas tank, can collect in the switch` encasing mea-ns. Hence, I have provided the two spaced casings l5 which are effectively vented by means ot the slots Il any gas should enter these casings, it can rez dily discharge trom the same through the slots, lso that there will he no danger el explosion, evenit `slight arcing between the contacts does take place. p

l provide novel `means to prevent vertical bobbing oi the float 26 and consequent make and break ofthe switch,"which is particularly desirable whenfthc invention is used upon the tuel tank ot an automobile. ln the preferred construction, herein shown, a pro- 'tively non-rotatable upstanding bolt' i'or tecting casing 28 loosely surrounts the ilo-at 2S and is provided with openiiws through which the rod l2 and rod pass loosely. rhis casing rests upon the lateral end i ot the bar 5 and it is adapted to receive liquid from the tank, so as 'to control the tloat 2li. lilowever, the wash ot the liquid round the 'casing 2d, will not materially atleet the latterand cannot ai'l'ect the float 211,3, to cause vertical bobbing oit the latter. 'l`hus, a long` as a predetermined amount ot liquid in the tank, the float is held at its raised position, and s the liquid level lowers, the caf'- ing 28 drains gradually through a port 25?' in lits `hottoin, to perinit descent oil" said lioat.

lt will he seen 'from the vforegoing that the invention is rather simple and inexpensive, that it may be easily installed, siniplvY hy drilling two openings in the top ot the tank, that` simple means are employed 'tor s'ecurii'ig the several parts in assenihled relation with each other, and that the device will be generally advantageous.

As excellent results are obtainable l'rom the details disclosed, they are preferably followed. However, within the scope ot the invention as claimed, numerous '.modiiications may oil course be made.

I claim:

l. A liquidlevel gauge coi'nprising a floatguiding structure lor disposition in a tank, said ystructnre including a horizontal portion to engage the lower surface oit the tank top. a sleeve rising rigidly from said portion, vand a io'diwhose upper end passes throiigh and projects' :rigidly labove said portion in laterally spaced relation with the sleeve; a cont'adt-:mouii'ting base adapted to rest on the 'tank tp, 'said hase having openings to receive said sleeve and said upwardly projectin'g `end of said rod when said sleeve and rod end are pa's'sed :through the tank top, a nut ladapted 'tor threading 'on said rod end into "engagement with said base, stationary contact ineans on'sa'id base, a movable contact co-operahle with said stationary contact means, anoperating member tor said movable contact adapted for passage through the aforesaid sleeve, and a 'float connected to said operating ineinlo'er, 'said '[ioat beine: slidahly associated 'with the aforesaid rod.

2. A liquid :level gauge comprising a floatguiding structure vfor disposition in a tank,

relapasthrough an opening in the top ot the tank, a nut adapted to be threaded on the upper end or" said bolt to secure the 'floatguiding :structure to the tank, a tubular projection rising irom'thc float-guiding struc- 'sa'id float-guiding structure having a 'ture lin laterally spaced relation with the bolt, said projection being adapted ior passage through 'another opening in the top ot' the'tankand serving to hold'the'iloat-guiding structure against turning while tightening the aforesaid nut, a float slidably associated with said float-guiding structure, and a rod connected to the float and rising therefrom through the aforesaid tubular projection.

3. A liquid level gauge comprising a pair of horizontally spaced casings adapted to he secured upon a gasoline tank, said casings having slots in their inner opposed sides, stationary contacts in and insulated from said easings, a contact-engaging pin passing through the aforesaid slots to bridge the gap between said stationary contacts, an operating and carrying rod for said pin insulated from the latter and adapted to extend to the interior of the tank, and a controlling float for said rod connected to the inner end of the latter.

l. A liquid level gauge comprising a vertical bar having upper and lower horizontally directed ends each of which is formed with an opening, the two openings being vertically alined, the upper bar end being also formed with another opening spaced outwardly from its first nained opening a vertical float guiding rod secured at its lower end in the first named opening of the lower bar end, the upper end of said rod being reduced and threaded, said threaded rod end passing through the first named opening of the upper bar end and projecting to a point above the latter for passage through a tank top, a nut for engagement with said threaded rod end to hold the upper bar end against the lower side of the tank top, a sleeve secured in said other opening of the upper bar end and projecting upwardly therefrom for passage through the tank top to prevent rotation of other parts when tightening the aforesaid nut, a float slidable along the above mentioned rod, and an indicator operating stein rising from the float through the aforesaid sleeve.

ln testimony whereof l have hereunto affixed my signature.

JOSEPH W. WALKER. 

